THE SIGNAL BRIDGE Volume 18 NEWSLETTER OF THE MOUNTAIN EMPIRE MODEL RAILROADERS CLUB Number 6B JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES Published for the Education and Information of Its Membership CSX, ex-CLINCHFIELD DEPOT KINGSPORT, TN CLUB OFFICERS LOCATION HOURS President: Secretary: Newsletter Editor: ETSU Campus, Business Meetings are held the Fred Alsop Donald Ramey Ted Bleck-Doran: George L. Carter 3rd Tuesday of each month. Railroad Museum Meetings start at 7:00 PM at Vice-President: Treasurer: Webmaster: ETSU Campus, Johnson City, TN. John Carter Duane Swank John Edwards Brown Hall Science Bldg, Room 312, Open House for viewing every Saturday from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. Work Nights each Thursday from 5:00 pm until ?? JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE Page 2 JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE CASS SCENIC RAILWAY SIDE TRIPS THE DURBIN ROCKET From the camera of Paul Haynes Page 3 JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE Page 4 JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE Class A CLIMAX LOCOMOTIVE From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia These featured a steam engine unit with two vertical cylinders mounted in the center of the locomotive. Class A Climaxes had a A Climax locomotive is a type of geared steam locomotive in which frame similar to a flatcar with wooden boxcar-like bodywork built the two steam cylinders were attached to a transmission located up above it to protect the crew and fuel from the elements -- this under the center of the boiler. This transmits power to drive shafts could be more or less covering between locomotive to locomotive. running to the front and rear trucks. The front half of the locomotive, in front of the engine unit, contained the boiler. In smaller examples this may have been a Rush S. Battles patented the basic design in 1891.[1] Battles' vertical boiler, while in larger ones a tee boiler was employed. design had horizontal cylinders connected to the drive shaft Class A Climaxes were small locomotives, generally under through a 2-speed transmission. The drive shaft passed just seventeen tons. Class A Climaxes, unlike Heisler and Shay above the axle centers, requiring the use of hypoid bevel gears to locomotives, had two-speed gearboxes. transfer power to each axle. Unlike the later and somewhat similar Heisler design, there were no side rods on the trucks and all Class B gearing was open, exposed to the elements. Battles' patent Looking more like a regular locomotive, the Class B Climax had describes the core design that became the Class B Climax, and a the cylinders either side of the boiler, permitting it to be longer his patent illustrations show the name Climax emblazoned on the and larger than possible with the Class A arrangement. The two locomotive cab. cylinders drove a transverse shaft that was geared to the longitudinal driveshaft in the middle; on early Class B climaxes, the cylinders were horizontal and pointing forwards, while later ones had the cylinders angled upwards at about 30 degrees from horizontal. Class B Climaxes weighed approximately 17 tons at minimum to a maximum of approximately 60 tons. Class C As in the Shay locomotive, a class C was a three-truck design, the additional powered truck being beneath a fuel-carrying tender articulated to the locomotive. All Class C locomotives had inclined cylinders. Survivors Approximately 20 Climax locomotives survive in North America, of which about five are operational. Two survive in Australia 1653 (Hobart - on display), 1694 (Belgrave - under restoration) at the Puffing Billy Railway, and several in New Zealand. The New Zealand Climaxes are No's 522 (Tokomaru - stored), 1203 (Greymouth - stored), 1317 (Te Awamutu - Under static Fruit Growers Number 3 on display at Fairplex in Pomona, California. restoration), and 1650 (Pukemiro - stored). Hence 4 of the 7 B class Climax locos delivered to New Zealand have survived. One at Charles D. Scott, an inventor who had previously proposed a less the Cass Scenic Railroad State Park in West Virginia is currently successful geared steam locomotive,[2] patented improved being restored by the MSR&LHA. It is expected to be done by July versions of Battles' trucks in 1892 and 1893.[3][4] Scott's 1892 2012. patent was the basis of the Class A Climax. His 1892 patent included gear-case enclosures. Conversions All Climax locomotives were built by the Climax Manufacturing A number of Climaxes, especially Class A, were later converted to Company (later renamed to the Climax Locomotive Works), of Diesel or gasoline power, and some still exist in this form, using Corry, Pennsylvania. In addition, an agency and service facility was the original frame and drive mechanism. established in Seattle, Washington to sell and maintain locomotives for west coast buyers. Production began in 1888 and References the last Climax locomotive was produced in 1928. Between 1000 1. Rush S. Battles, Locomotive, U.S. Patent 455,154, June 30, and 1100 were built. 1891. 2. Charles D. Scott, Locomotive for Tramways, U.S. Patent Many loggers considered the Climax superior to the Shay in 452,124, May 12, 1891. hauling capability and stability, particularly in a smaller 3. Charles D. Scott, Locomotive for Tramways, U.S. Patent locomotive, although the ride was characteristically rough for the 488,484, Dec. 20, 1892. crew. 4. Charles D. Scott, Tramway Locomotive, U.S. Patent 504,541, Sept. 5, 1893. Classes Climaxes were built in three distinct classes: Page 5 JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE over to the State), and commenced restoration work in October, External links 2002. Geared Steam Locomotive Works' Climax pages Ed Vasser on Climaxes Restoration of Climax No. 1551 by the Mountain State Railroad & Logging Historical Association in Cass, WV CLIMAX LOCOMOTIVE S/N 1551 Restoration Project Background Climax locomotive shop number 1551 was built by the Climax Locomotive Works in Corry, Pennsylvania, in 1919 and delivered new to the Moore-Keppel Company lumber operation in Ellamore Artist's rendition of how the Climax locomotive will look after restoration is (Randolph County) West Virginia. It operated there until the complete. (Image by Richard Sparks) lumber mill closed in 1946. It was then used as standby power on The Restoration Project the coal hauling Middle Fork Railroad before being retired in 1960. It was the one of the last Climax locomotives in U.S. This is a complete mechanical restoration. The locomotive was commercial operation. completely disassembled and each component analyzed to determine what needed to be done to restore it to operational condition. Some parts just need to be cleaned and painted. Others require welding, machining, or other significant repairs. Some parts were beyond repair and are being used as patterns to fabricate replacements. Many foundry patterns have made to allow accurate reproduction of unusable parts. In all cases the goal is to maintain the historical integrity of the locomotive while restoring it to better than new condition so it will give years of reliable service without the need for major non- routine maintenance. There is a core group of about a dozen volunteers with experience The Climax locomotive sitting on the "dead line" in Cass prior to the start of in machining and mechanical arts working on the project. In restoration work in 2002. (Photo by Sonny Burruss) addition, volunteers of varying skill levels are helping with various aspects of the project. At retirement it was poorly maintained, badly worn and severely rusting. It was destined for a proposed railroad museum to be There is no firm date for completion of the project. Work is built in Ellamore, but that project never got off the ground and the progressing well, but since most volunteers live far from Cass State purchased the locomotive in 1970. It was trucked to Cass there are a limited number of work sessions each year. An for restoration with a projected operational date of May, 1973. unofficial goal is that the Climax may see operational service around 2010, but that is far from a firm date. Restoration work had just started when a massive fire destroyed the Cass shop complex in July, 1972. Although there was some Funding and Support damage to the locomotive, it survived the shop fire in relatively good shape. However, the loss of the shop caused an indefinite There are several sources of funding for the Project. As of postponement of its restoration and work was never January, 2007, the Association and individual donors have restarted. The locomotive spent the next 30 years sitting on the provided over $50,000 in funding to purchase materials, tools, Cass “dead line” awaiting its fate and slowly deteriorating in the and contracted services. The State of West Virginia obtained a weather. $200,000 Federal grant for the project and that money is being used to purchase several big-ticket items such as axles, new steel In 1998 the Mountain State Railroad and Logging Historical tires, gear castings, injectors, and air compressors. The Park Association proposed that the organization initiate a multi-year already has a serviceable replacement boiler on hand that will be project to rebuild the locomotive and restore it to operational used after some repairs and certifications are completed. Also, a service in Cass. The project was approved with the condition that number of companies have provided services and materials free a restoration building be built to reduce the project’s impact on or at significant discounts, and several have donated large the limited Cass shop facilities. The Association solicited machine tools to help equip the restoration facility. donations, completed a 40x100 foot building (which was turned Page 6 JUNE 2011 BONUS PAGES THE SIGNAL BRIDGE Donations are always welcome and will help speed the restoration project.